Venezuela takes aim at CNN

Venezuela takes aim at CNN

Details

Juan Fernandez Gonzalez

| 10 August 2015

Venezuela's Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel) has announced it will investigate the reasons behind what it is reported as being inaccurate information aired by CNN last week about the disorder in Maracay, which the international network has already retracted.

This is not the first conflict between Venezuela and CNN regarding political information, with Conatel officially reporting the situation in this instance.

"CNNE (CNN en Espańol) has spread presumed inaccurate information through pay-TV networks, reporting disorder, sacking and violence in the city of Maracay," said Conatel, adding that it has started a process to fine the broadcaster for its action.

Earlier this week, CNNE issued a public release admitting its mistake in publishing the reports.

The reaction of both the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and the governor of Aragua, Maracay's state was more extreme, saying that CNN is carrying out a "terrorist campaign" against the country and that the information given aims to destabilise
Venezuela.

While the government often complains about information published by foreign media, accusations have also been made the other way round, pointing to pressure put on TV stations and newspapers. Nevertheless, a recent study published by the American University's Centre for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) described the country's main network Globovisión as having "no significant bias in favour of the government or the opposition".